Meghalaya govt must clear my name controvesry: Mawlong

Shillong, Apr 17 (UNI) Former Meghalaya Chief Minister E K Mawlong has filed a writ petition against the state government to clear his name from the Kolkata Meghalaya House deal controversy in the Shillong bench of the Gauhati High Court here yesterday.

Since, the state government has 'failed to establish any case' nor the ''CBI has prima facie been satisfied that no investigation is necessary'' against him, it was necessary ''to immediately clear'' his name, Mr Mawlong said in his petition.

Mr Mawlong's successor Dr Flinder Anderson Khonglam had said that the government would ask the CBI to investigate into the alleged scam.

''The CBI has till date not responded to the state government's request to take up investigation,'' the former Chief Minister said.

Mr Mawlong, who was the Chief Minister of the United Democratic Party (UDP)-led Meghalaya Parliamentary Forum(MPF) government, embroiled into controversy following a deal with one Kolkata-based firm Asian Housing Construction Limited (AHCL) six years back for the reconstruction of the Meghalaya House in Kolkata.

The senior UDP leader, who intends to contest for the forthcoming 2008 Assembly election, said ''I cannot face them unless the proceedings before the CBI, if any, are finally dropped or withdrawn.'' The former Chief Minister clarified that the idea for reconstruction of Meghalaya House in Kolkata was mooted by the General Administrative Department in 1999-a year before he took charge as the head of state.

Pointing out that the NGOs, which along with the government had filed a written statement against him, Mr Mawlong said that a Inquiry Commission had been constituted, where various parties, NGOs and the government, had filed their written statement against him.

He, however, said that most of the NGOs withdrew their statements that led to the de-notification of the inquiry.

UNI